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DURHAM — No matter what Duke did during the first half of Saturday's basketball game, it couldn't get Radford out of a zone defense. Not that the Blue Devils cared.

The Devils tied a school record with 18 3-point field goals — 13 of them in the first half — in a 104-67 defeat of the Highlanders. Radford, bugged by early foul trouble, didn't go man-to-man until early in the second half, and that move did limit Duke's attempts. It did nothing to mitigate the Devils' accuracy, however.

Duke went 13-for-22 in the first half and 5-for-10 in the second in equaling the school standard for made 3-pointers. (The Devils also had 18 against N.C. A&T on Dec. 30, 2000, and 18 against Fairfield 21/2 months later that season.)

The Devils were exceptionally smooth and efficient in moving the ball around the perimeter Saturday. In all, 25 of their 35 field goals were assisted. Perhaps the most uncommon factoid of the day: The Devils committed only eight turnovers and attempted 72 field goals. That 9-to-1 ratio is more than twice the national average of 3.85 to 1.

"We're just playing together," said point guard Nolan Smith, one of three Devils with seven assists. "We have great chemistry. We're making connective plays. When Kyle (Singler) makes a shot, it feels like I've made the shot."

And there may be no better connectivity than the relationship between Smith and freshman Andre Dawkins, whose 6-for-8 long-range day made him the newest hero of the Cameron crowd. Dawkins, you'll remember, began the summer presuming he'd still be in high school this fall, but when he realized he was only one summer course from graduating and the Devils needed immediate backcourt help, the timetable changed.

"It feels really good," he said of his shot, "because whenever I put it up, I thought it was going in."

Florida State holds the conference mark of 20 3-pointers in a game, but the Seminoles did that two years ago, the final season of the 19-foot-9 line. The arc moved to 20-9 a year ago.

"We shared the ball so well," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "That's one of the reasons we shot so well. There was a really good rhythm."

The Devils put up big numbers without Smith, who was suspended two games for improper summer-league play, in wins over UNCG and Coastal Carolina. They have been outright lethal with their best — and perhaps only — true point guard. Their 101-59 win over Charlotte on Tuesday was more lopsided than the score suggested, and they have now eclipsed the century mark in consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 5 and 9, 2000.

"It's been great with Nolan back in there," fellow guard Jon Scheyer said. "It puts everybody in better positions."

Practically lost in the Devils' performance was the play of Art Parakhouski, the Highlanders' center from Belarus. Parakhouski is bullish in the best sense of the term. Duke's Brian Zoubek fouled out in 14 minutes in his efforts to limit him, and the 7-footer wound up with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

"He's not Polish," Krzyzewski said, referencing his own heritage. "I wish he was. He'll be a (first-round) pick in the NBA. Easy."

RADFORD (2-1) — Martin 5-7 2-2 12, Lynch-Flohr 3-13 2-2 8, Parakhouski 8-19 7-12 23, Johnson 1-10 1-2 4, Smith 4-9 0-0 11, Robinson 3-5 0-0 6, Faulkner 1-4 0-0 3, Wilder 0-0 0-0 0, Curry 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-67 12-18 67.

DUKE (4-0) — Singler 4-13 2-2 13, Mi.Plumlee 5-8 2-2 12, Thomas 2-4 0-0 4, Smith 6-12 4-4 20, Scheyer 5-9 4-4 18, Czyz 1-3 0-0 2, Dawkins 7-9 0-0 20, Kelly 4-8 0-0 9, Davidson 0-1 2-2 2, Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Peters 0-0 0-0 0, Zoubek 1-4 2-3 4. Totals 35-72 16-17 104.

Halftime—Duke 59-34.
3-point goals—Radford 5-14 (Smith 3-5, Johnson 1-3, Faulkner 1-4, Martin 0-2), Duke 18-32 (Dawkins 6-8, Scheyer 4-7, Smith 4-7, Singler 3-8, Kelly 1-1, Czyz 0-1).
Fouled out—Zoubek.
Rebounds—Radford 38 (Parakhouski 14), Duke 45 (Mi.Plumlee 11).
Assists—Radford 11 (Johnson 4), Duke 25 (Scheyer, Singler, Smith 7).
Total fouls—Radford 17, Duke 17.
A—9,314.